The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Schizachyrium scoparium and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Standing Ovation’. ‘Standing Ovation’ represents a new cultivar of little bluestem, an ornamental grass grown for landscape use.
The new cultivar, ‘Standing Ovation’, was discovered by the Inventors as a naturally occurring whole plant mutation in a trail bed in Landenberg, Pa. in summer of 2003. The new cultivar was growing amongst plants of Schizachyrium scoparium ‘The Blues’ (not patented). The parentage is unknown, however ‘The Blues’ is thought to be a likely parent based on the characteristics of the new cultivar and its proximity.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by one of the Inventors by division in Landenberg, Pa. in May of 2008. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by division and tissue culture has shown that the unique features are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.